Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Awful, awkward martial arts remake is very violent.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Kickboxer: Vengeance
What's the Story?
A remake of the original 1989 Kickboxer, KICKBOXER: VENGEANCE centers on Kurt Sloane (Alain Moussi), who's managing his martial arts-champ brother, Eric (Darren Shahlavi). When an offer comes in for Eric to fight an underground match against the scary, mountain-sized Tong Po (Dave Bautista, Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy), Kurt balks -- but Eric goes ahead and is killed in the ring. After a failed attempt to get revenge, Kurt finds himself in the presence of his brother's trainer, Master Durand (Jean-Claude Van Damme, who played Kurt in the original). Now Kurt must overcome his own ego and fear before he can face the fearsome Tong Po -- and survive.
Is It Any Good?
The original Kickboxer might have been cheesy, but it also had Van Damme's star power; the chronically uninteresting hero of this awful remake can't even get close to him. As Sloane, Moussi seems slow and clumsy, though this is perhaps not helped by John Stockwell's clunky direction. No matter how many training montages Kickboxer: Vengeance has -- and there are quite a few -- Sloane never seems to get any better.
When Sloane finally fights Tong Po, no amount of scriptwriting or choreography can make it look like Sloane is winning -- and when he finally turns the tables, it seems like cheating (Tong Po could have, and should have, won). Moreover, Sloane's shallow romance with a cop (Sara Malakul Lane) feels completely tacked-on. And real-life mixed-martial artist Gina Carano has a role but doesn't actually get to fight! Van Damme even looks a bit sheepish in his role, wearing sunglasses and a Panama hat in nearly every shot.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Kickboxer: Vengeance. Do you admire any of the martial arts skills on display? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Is there any motivation in the movie besides revenge? Do any of the characters learn anything? Are there consequences?
What do you think is the appeal of martial arts movies in general? Van Damme movies in particular? How does this one compare to the original Kickboxer?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 2, 2016
- On DVD or streaming : November 8, 2016
- Cast : Dave Bautista , Alain Moussi , Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Director : John Stockwell
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : RLJ Entertainment
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : February 15, 2023
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